1. Field
The present invention relates generally to liners or sweatbands for use with safety equipment and more specifically to the forehead contacting portions of the supporting headgear of a hard hat or similar head protection.
2. State of the Art
Hard hats are well known in construction, manufacturing, and many other industries. Standard hard hats comprise a metal or hard plastic shell, which generally conforms to the shape of a wearer's head; and supporting headgear therein which forms a suspension system attached to the inner concave portion of the shell, and which is fitted to and supports the shell on the wearer's head. Various other types of head protection such as welding helmets and face shields have similar headgear.
The headgear or suspension system is usually made up of a number of flexible straps to fit over the head inside the shell and a strap which fits snugly about the circumference of the head extending across the forehead and around the back of the head. Normally, a flap or covering of soft plastic with a foam material is placed between the plastic strap and the wearer's forehead to provide some cushion and make the headgear more comfortable to wear.
While the above-described hard hat or other head protection is quite effective in terms of safety and utility, it has been found lacking in comfort. For example, many who wear hard hats on a consistent basis must do so in less than ideal temperature environments. Steel workers often work under extremely high temperature conditions, while construction workers must face high temperatures outdoors in the summer or in hot climates and extremely low temperatures when working outdoors during winter in cold climates. Because the soft plastic used in the flap portion of the headgear which contacts the wearer's forehead is non-porous, non-absorbent, and a poor insulator, it cannot absorb sweat or insulate from the cold. As a result, the wearer suffers discomfort.
An additional source of discomfort may be a flap's limited ability to cushion the forehead from irregularities in the otherwise smooth surface of the enclosed or covered strap. When a hard hat must be worn for hours at a time, even the slightest protrusion can be detected and cause much discomfort. Often, slight protrusions are built into the enclosed plastic strap in the form of connection joints for the fabric suspension straps.
My U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,126 shows a disposable liner for the forehead contacting portions of the headgear of a protective head covering which is adhered to the forehead contacting surface of the forehead contacting flap of such headgear. The liner is removed and replaced with a new liner when desired by the user.
It has been found that some users prefer a reusable liner which can be removed from the forehead contacting flap, washed, and then replaced. U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,817 shows a liner or perspiration band for headgear comprising a rectangular strip of terry cloth material with snaps spaced along the top and bottom longitudinal edges thereof so that the material can be wrapped around the forehead contacting flap, and strap to which it is attached, of a headgear and snapped together to be held in place around such strap. The patent also shows a variation of the liner having cut-out notches along the top longitudinal side of the strip. The patent states that the rectangular strip fits a four strap headgear band and the strip with cut-out notches fits a six strap headgear band.
A commercial version of the sweatband shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,817 is currently available from Safety Supply House in Belle Chasse, La. It differs from the band shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,817 in that the ends of the rectangular strip angle outwardly toward the top of the strip and a rounded flap is provided extending from the central portion of the upper edge of the strip. However, in use, it has been found that such band does not fit headgear as well as it might and produces uncomfortable bulges and wrinkles.